Evolve

Evolve, a 2015 FPS built around asymmetric multiplayer hunting, presents an interesting stress pattern for the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 pairing. The measured data reveals a system that is heavily GPU-bound at higher resolutions but shows signs of CPU limitation at 1080p, creating a distinct performance curve that shifts depending on the graphical preset and resolution chosen.

Resolution Scaling

The transition from 1080p to 4K on this combo shows a dramatic and predictable drop in framerate, but the magnitude of that drop varies significantly by settings. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 324 at 1920x1080 to 128 at 3840x2160, a reduction to roughly 39.5% of the original performance. This steep decline indicates that even at Low settings, the RTX 4080’s rendering load at 4K is substantial, though the sheer 324 FPS at 1080p suggests the CPU is the primary limiter at that resolution, preventing the GPU from reaching even higher numbers.

Moving to Medium settings, the scaling is similar in percentage but different in absolutes: 260 FPS at 1080p drops to 99 FPS at 4K. The gap between Low and Medium at 4K is 29 FPS (128 vs 99), which is a smaller absolute difference than the 64 FPS gap seen at 1080p (324 vs 260). This compression at higher resolutions points to the GPU becoming the sole bottleneck, as the CPU has more headroom to feed frames. At High settings, the 4K average is 78 FPS, a 59 FPS drop from the 137 FPS at 1440p, showing that the cost of higher fidelity scales almost linearly with pixel count.

The Ultra preset reveals the most extreme scaling. At 4K, the average FPS plummets to 54, which is only 38.3% of the 141 FPS achieved at 1080p. This data implies that Ultra settings at 4K are exceptionally demanding, likely pushing the RTX 4080 to its limits with advanced shading and post-processing effects. The pattern across all presets is clear: the performance delta between 1080p and 4K widens as settings increase, confirming that the limiting component shifts from the CPU at low resolutions to the GPU at 4K, where the raw pixel throughput and memory bandwidth of the 716.8 GB/s GDDR6X become the deciding factors.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average framerate recorded for this combo in Evolve?

A: The maximum measured average FPS is 324, achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings. This figure is nearly 2.4 times higher than the 137 FPS seen at 2560x1440 with High settings, highlighting the massive performance headroom at lower resolutions.

Q: How does the RTX 4080 compare to its closest rival in synthetic benchmarks?

A: The GPU’s average benchmark score is 54247, which places it 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER (score 54209) and 1.1% behind the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (score 54828). The deltaPct values indicate that these are near-identical performers in aggregate, with differences well within normal variance.

Q: Is the CPU or GPU more likely to bottleneck performance at 1080p?

A: The data strongly suggests CPU limitation at 1080p. At Low settings, the combo hits 324 FPS, but this is likely constrained by the i5-14400F’s single-thread performance. The CPU’s Geekbench single-core score is 2058, and its Cinebench R23 single-core score is 3055, which are solid but not exceptional for reaching extremely high framerates in older titles.

Q: What is the performance difference between Low and Ultra settings at 1440p?

A: At 2560x1440, the average FPS drops from 225 on Low to 95 on Ultra, a difference of 130 FPS. This represents a 57.8% reduction in performance, demonstrating that Ultra settings impose a significant rendering cost over Low, even at a mid-range resolution.

Q: How does the combo rank among all tested systems for Evolve?

A: The combination ranks 263rd out of 3700 tested combos, placing it in the top 7.1% of all configurations. This high percentile indicates that the pairing is exceptionally well-suited for this game, offering performance that exceeds the vast majority of other hardware combinations.

Q: Does the GPU’s 16 GB of VRAM appear to be a limiting factor in these tests?

A: No, the measured data shows no evidence of VRAM capacity limiting performance. The RTX 4080 has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory, and even at 4K Ultra settings, the average FPS of 54 suggests the GPU’s compute and bandwidth are the bottlenecks, not memory capacity. The memory bandwidth of 716.8 GB/s is likely sufficient for this title, as frame rates scale consistently with resolution rather than showing sudden drops indicative of VRAM swapping.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i5-14400F is a 10-core, 16-thread processor based on the Raptor Lake architecture, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. In Evolve, a game released in 2015, the title’s engine is unlikely to utilize all 16 threads effectively, making the CPU’s strong single-core performance critical. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3055 and Geekbench single-core score of 2058 indicate a capable processor for this task, but the data reveals its limits at 1080p.

At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the average FPS reaches 324, but this is likely a CPU-bound ceiling. The fact that the score does not scale higher, despite the RTX 4080’s enormous capacity, suggests that the i5-14400F’s per-core throughput is the limiting factor. The CPU’s L3 cache is 20 MB shared, and its L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core, which helps with game data locality, but the architecture’s 10 nm process and 65 W TDP define its power envelope.

The data shows that as resolution increases, the CPU’s role diminishes. At 4K, the average FPS at Low is 128, which is still high but not CPU-bound; the GPU is now the primary constraint. The CPU’s Passmark multithread score of 25470 and Cinebench R23 multicore score of 21645 suggest that in more modern, multi-threaded titles, this CPU would excel, but for Evolve, the reliance on single-thread performance means the boost clock of 4.70 GHz is the more relevant specification. The processor’s 83rd percentile ranking among all CPUs confirms it is a strong performer, but the game’s age means its engine likely relies on fewer cores, making the 4.70 GHz boost clock the key factor in achieving those 300+ FPS figures at 1080p.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS rows, the optimal settings depend heavily on the target resolution and refresh rate. For 1080p displays, High settings at 204 FPS is the sweet spot, as it provides a visually rich experience while still delivering framerates far above any standard 144 Hz or 240 Hz monitor’s capabilities. Ultra at 1080p drops to 141 FPS, which is still excellent, but the 63 FPS penalty over High suggests diminishing returns in visual quality for the performance cost.

At 1440p, High settings at 137 FPS is the recommended choice for high-refresh-rate gaming, as it balances image quality with the fluidity needed for competitive play. Medium at 174 FPS offers even more headroom, but the jump to High is only a 37 FPS loss, making it a worthwhile trade-off for improved textures and effects. Ultra at 95 FPS is playable but may feel less responsive on 120 Hz or higher panels.

For 4K, the data suggests that High settings at 78 FPS is the best experience for a balance of fidelity and smoothness, as it stays above the 60 FPS threshold for most displays. Medium at 99 FPS is also viable and provides a more significant performance buffer, but the visual downgrade from High is noticeable. Ultra at 54 FPS is the only preset that dips below 60 FPS, making it less ideal for a smooth experience, though it remains playable on VRR displays. Low settings at 4K (128 FPS) are unnecessary unless chasing maximum framerates, as the visual compromise is severe for a 50 FPS gain over High.

How This Combo Ranks

The combination of the Intel Core i5-14400F and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 achieves a rank of 263 out of 3700 tested combos for Evolve. This places the pairing in the top 7.1% of all systems, indicating that it delivers exceptional performance for this specific title. The rank reflects the synergy between the CPU’s strong single-core boost clock of 4.70 GHz and the GPU’s massive compute throughput, which together handle the game’s demands efficiently across all resolutions.

In the context of the CPU’s nearest rivals, the i5-14400F’s average benchmark score of 32279 is 0.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (score 32233) and 0.2% higher than the Intel Core i9-11900 (score 32226). This suggests that the CPU is well-matched with its peers, and any differences in Evolve’s performance would be minimal. The GPU’s rank is similarly strong, with an average benchmark score of 54247 that is 0.1% above the RTX 4080 SUPER, confirming that this combo is using a top-tier graphics solution.

The high combo rank is notable because Evolve is not a particularly demanding game by modern standards, yet the hardware still manages to outperform 93% of other configurations. This is likely due to the combination of a high-boost CPU and a GPU with 9728 shading units and 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which can brute-force even the most inefficient game engines. The rank suggests that users with this combo can expect a flawless experience at any resolution, with the only caveat being the CPU limit at 1080p.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the combo delivers its highest framerates. Low settings produce an average of 324 FPS, while Medium settings yield 260 FPS with a minimum of 221 FPS and a maximum of 299 FPS. High settings average 204 FPS, and Ultra settings drop to 141 FPS. The spread between Low and Ultra is 183 FPS, showing that the GPU has ample headroom even at this resolution.

Moving to 2560x1440, the averages are 225 FPS on Low, 174 FPS on Medium (with a min of 148 and max of 200), 137 FPS on High, and 95 FPS on Ultra. The performance scaling here is more gradual than at 1080p, with each preset tier costing roughly 40-50 FPS. The minimum FPS of 148 on Medium indicates that even in demanding scenes, the framerate stays well above 144 Hz.

At 3840x2160, the data shows a significant drop. Low settings average 128 FPS, Medium averages 99 FPS (min 84, max 114), High averages 78 FPS, and Ultra drops to 54 FPS. The gap between Low and Ultra is 74 FPS, which is a smaller absolute difference than at 1080p but represents a larger percentage reduction (58%). The Medium preset’s minimum of 84 FPS suggests that even in the most intense moments, the system maintains playable framerates, but Ultra’s 54 FPS average leaves little margin for frame drops.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is a powerhouse built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. Its 16 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus provides 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth, which is crucial for handling high-resolution textures in Evolve. The GPU’s boost clock of 2505 MHz and 9728 shading units allow it to process geometry and pixels at an impressive rate, evidenced by its 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32 performance.

In Evolve, the GPU’s role becomes dominant at resolutions above 1080p. The data shows that at 4K, the average FPS scales from 128 on Low to 54 on Ultra, a 57.8% reduction. This indicates that the GPU’s fill rate and shading complexity are the primary bottlenecks, as the CPU has more than enough headroom to feed frames at these lower framerates. The RTX 4080’s 112 ROPs and 280.6 GPixel/s pixel rate are tasked with writing to 4K buffers, and the 304 TMUs handle texture filtering, both of which are heavily stressed at high settings.

The GPU’s benchmark scores reflect its elite status: it ranks in the 86th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 54247. Its nearest rival, the RTX 4080 SUPER, is only 0.1% faster, confirming that this card is near the top of the stack. However, the data also shows that at 1080p, the GPU’s potential is wasted, as the CPU limits performance to 324 FPS on Low, far below what the GPU could theoretically output. This suggests that for Evolve, the RTX 4080 is overkill for 1080p but perfectly suited for 1440p and 4K, where its raw compute and memory bandwidth can be fully utilized.